---

What I blog about

My Story

I AM AMANDA.

I MAKE THINGS.

I am a stay at home mom, who owns a couple of home based businesses. In between running those, and keeping up with two busy little girls, I am an avid DIYer, creator, and a photographer. I ran a full time photography business for the last 10 years, and after moving recently, I have decided to spend more time creating. I have dabbled in a ton of different areas of art and crafting, including sewing, painting, pottery, beadwork, clothing design, set design, house remodeling, wood work, and design. AND…..I have a bachelors degree in Modern Dance. Now, I know what you might be thinking? What?!?! Choose something already….

Well…. For a long time I felt immense guilt in not owning a dance studio, or starting a dance company after graduating college. I felt like I was wasting something I spent 4 years earning, and that helped me to find myself initially. After many years learning new skills, and taking on challenges left and right, I learned some things about myself.

I am not a quitter.

I am not throwing away talent.

I am not missing chances and opportunities.

I am not limited to what things I have done.

I don’t have to stay within self inflicted boundaries.

I can do anything I want to.

and most of all………….

I LOVE TO LEARN.

AND I can be happy in that. I can enjoy learning new things, and stop labeling myself by what I can’t or didn’t do, and instead focus on what I can learn.

I want my kids to see that as a mom, you can do both. You can do things you love, and be a good mom. You can do anything you put your mind to. You can have things that you love to do that don’t always have to involve kids. Or they can. That’s the beauty of it, you can do whatever you feel like. It is your life.

I want them to feel like they can do anything.

Grow up to be anything.

As women we can support each other in that. We can have a mindset of community instead of competition. We can celebrate other women’s achievements, beauty, brains, and success, without questioning our own.

So that is what I am trying to do here at Determined DIY. I am determined to create a life filled with balance, happiness, and doing things that bring me joy.

Thanks for being here. Drop me a comment or message, and connect! I love meeting other fellow creatives.

-Amanda

.